type writing machine



(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 1.

s A. ELLIS.

' TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

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(-No Model.) 7 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. A. ELLIS.

TYPE WRITING MAGHINE.

No. 556,812. Patented Mar. 24, 1896.

ANDRE B GRAHAM PHOTO UTHDYWASPINGTDNJ D 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

S. A. ELLIS; TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

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(N0 Medal.) s A ELLIS 4 SheetsSheet 4. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 556,812. Patented Mar 24, 1896.

ANDRIW a GERMAN. Pnovdimao wasmus'mmuc UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

S"EPI-IEN A. ELLIS, OE ()NEONTA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE ELLIS TYPEW'RITER COMPANY, OF BIRMING- HAM, ALABAMA.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 556,812, dated March24, 1896.

Application filed August 28, 1894. Serial No. 521,520. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN A. ELLIs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oneonta, in the county of Blount and State of Alabama, haveinvented a new and useful TypelVriting Machine, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to type-writing machines, and has for its object toprovide a simple, cheap, and efficient machine for writing in record andother books, and also adapted for general work.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a type-writingmachine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig.3 is a section on the line so of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on the liney 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on the line .2 .2 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6is a detail view of a trip-slide for disengaging the feed-pawl from thepinion. Fig. '7 is a similar View of the type-bar guide and ribbon-guideand supportingbrackets. Fig. 8 is a similar view of a gravitycatch forholding the release-spring in its inoperative position. Fig. 9 is asimilar view of the release-lever and pawl for operating theline-spacing pinion.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates abase-franie, which is adapted to rest upon the page of abook, as shown in Fig. 1, the same being rectangular in construction andhaving the side rack-bar 2. Mounted upon this base-frame for movementtoward and from the operator is the line-spacing frame 3, alsorectangular in construction and carrying a pinion 4, which meshes withthe rack-bar 2. The linespacing mechanism, in addition to this pinionand the rack with which it meshes, includes a line-spacing pawl 5,arranged in operative relation with the pinion, a returnspring 6, towhich said pawl is attached and which, when deflected, causes the pawlto turn the pinion, and a releasinglever 7 engaged with the pawl andadapted, when repressed at its free end, to disengage the pawl from thepinion to allow free forward and rearward adjustment of the linespacingframe.

The line-spacing frame is provided at its rear side with a feed-rack 8,and mounted in said frame is the carriage 9, having a feedpinion 1Omeshing with the feed-rack. The spring-metal feed-pawl 11, which isarranged in operative relation with said feed-pinion, is mounted forsliding movement transverse to the line of writing, or transverse to thedirection of movement of the carriage, and it is provided at its frontend with an inclined guideslot 12. The carriage is provided with brackets 13, which support a bail-shaped spacinglever 14, arranged with itscross-bar in the guide-slot of the feed-pawl, whereby when thespacing-lever is depressed said cross-bar operates in the guide-slot andmoves the feedpawl forward to engage a succeeding tooth of thefeed-pinion.

Fulorumed upon a pivot-bar 16, which is concentric with the type-barguide 17 are the type-bars 18, provided with toothed segments 19, andmeshing with said toothed segments are the corresponding segments 20 onthe extremities of the key-levers 21. The key-levers are fulcrumed uponthe fulcrum-bar 22, also concentric with the type-bar guide 17, and areadapted, when depressed, to depress the curved cross-bar 15 of thespacing-lever, this cross-bar being in like manner concentric with thetype-bar guide. This type-bar guide is V- shaped in construction and issupported by the brackets 23 projecting rearward from the carriage andextending over the feed-rack, and below and adjacent to the type-barguide is a horizontal looped ribbon-guide 2a.

The ribbon supporting frame is reciprocably mounted upon the movableframe 3, the

side bars 25 being mounted in suitable guides 26. Attached to the rearend of one of the side bars of the ribbon-supporting frame is a spool 27adapted to contain a ribbon, and attached in like manner to the rear endof the other side bar of the same frame is a springactuated clip 28 toengage the end of a ribbon 29. A sufficient length of the ribbon isexposed to extend from the spool to the said clip, and the spool is heldfrom rotation, after its adjustment, by means of a lodped holder 30.IVhen the exposed portion of the ribbon becomes worn, said portion isremoved and a new length is exposed.

The exposed portion of the ribbon extends through the ribbon-guide 2i,and the front crossbar of the ribbon-supporting frame is engaged in anotch 31 in the lower edge of the feed-pawl, whereby with eachdepression of a key-lever the ribbon-supporting frame is movedrearwardly to bring the ribbon in position to receive the impact of thetype-bar operated by said key-lever. Upon the release of the key-leverthe spacinglever 14 is returned to its initial position by means of aspring 32, thereby moving the ribbon-supporting frame forward andexposing the line of waiting at the same time that the carriage isadvanced one step.

To provide for the free adjustment of the carriage I employ areleasing-slide 33, mounted in a guide 34 011 the carriage and having astud 35 in engagement with the feed-pawl. This releasin g-slide isprovided with a fingerhold, (designated as 36,) which is arrangedadjacent to a stationary finger-hold 37 on the carriage.

In connection with the carriage I employ a spring 33 for returning saidcarriage to its initial position, or the position. for starting a newline of writing, said spring being gradually extended as the carriage isadvanced in the progress of writing a line. A release slide 39 ismounted upon the carriage parallel with the direction of movementthereof, and bearing against one end thereof is a release-spring 40,adapted to move the slide in a direction contrary to the forwardmovement of the carriage in writing. The slide is provided with a stud41, which engages the feedpawl, and therefore when the release-spring 40is free it disengages the feed-pawl from the feedpinion and allows thecarriage to be actuated by the spring 38.

A catch 42 is employed to normally hold the release-sprin g out ofengagement with the release-slide, said catch being actuated by gravityin the construction illustrated and being provided with a notch 43 toengage said spring. The free end of the catch is beveled, and the partsare so arranged that the side bar of the movable frame performs thefunctions of a trip by engaging said beveled surface and disengaging thecatch from the release-spring when the carriage has reached the limit ofits forward movement, or the end of a line. Thus when the carriagereaches the end of a line the release-slide is moved by itsactuating-spring 4:0 to disengage the feed-pawl from the feed-pinion andallow the carriage to be returned to its initial position by means ofthe spring 38.

The release-slide projects slightly beyond the end of the carriage andis adapted to strike a fixed stop when the carriage reaches its initialposition, whereby the slide is moved to allow the feed-pawl to engagethe pinion and is held in this retracted position by the automaticengagement with the release-spring of the catch provided for thatpurpose. The carriage is also provided with a projection 4A to strikethe supporting-spring of the linespacing pawl 5 and advance the movableframe the distance necessary for forming the spaces between the lines.The fixed step above mentioned for engaging the releaseslide is formed,in the construction illustrated in the drawings, by the end of themovable frame, and this stop by checking the motion of the carriageregulates the deflection of the supporting-spring of the line-spacinglever and determines the space between adjacent lines of writing.

The means for securing the base-frame to a book, to prevent change ofposition during operation, consist of spring-clips 45, the under sidesof which are flat to fit between leaves of the book, and attached to thebase-frame is a copy-rack 46, thus arranged in convenien t position.

The type-bar guide 17 comprises upwardlydivergent flat arms, which arecut away at their point of junction to form a guide-opeir ing 47,through which the type-heads strike. In case of deflection of one of thetype-heads it comes in contact with the inclined surface of one of thearms and is thereby guided to said guidebpening.

In order to prevent the feed-pinion 10 from turning backward or in areverse direction during the forward movement of the feedpawl 11, causedby the depression of a keylever, I employ a stop-pawl 4:8, actuated by aspring 49 and connected by means of a rocking lever 50 and a push-rod 51to the releasing-slide 33, whereby as the slide is moved to disengagethe feed-pawl 11 from the teeth or the feed-pinion the stop-pawl 48 isdisengaged from the said pinion to allow free movement in eitherdirection of the carriage.

The tooth of the stop-pawl is inclined in the direction of the forwardrotation of the feedpinion, whereby the latter may be turned forward bythe feed-pawl without raising or disengaging the stop-pawl, a slottedconnection being provided between the stop-pawl and the push-rod 51,butis held from rotation in the opposite direction until the slide 33 isoperated. A stud 41 is arranged on the slide 33 upon the inner side ofthe feed-pawl to cause the repression of the slide, and hence theactuation of the stop-pawl, when the slide 39 is operated. Thereforewhen a key-lever is depressed longitudinal motion is communicated to theoperating-pawl 11, which, sliding forward over the periphery of thefeed-pawl 10, engages the next tooth, and when said key-lever isreleased the spring which actuates the frame 15 returns the operating orfeed pawl to its normal position, and hence moves the feedpinion througha partial rotation and thereby advances the carriage one step. \Vhen IIOthe carriage reaches the limit of its forward movement and the catch 42is disengaged from the spring 40 the slide 39 is moved to the left todisengage the feed-pawl 11 from the feedpinion 10. This movement of thefeed-pawl is communicated by means of the stud 41 to the slide 33 andthence through the rocking lever 50 and push-rod 51 to the stop-pawl 48,and the latter is disengaged from the feed-pinion si multaneouslywiththe feed-pawl. When the carriage reaches its initial position under thetension of the spring 38 and the slide 39 is again moved to the positionshown in Fig. 2, the feed and stop pawls are again returned toengagement with the feed-pinion and the parts are ready for furtheroperation. It is obvious that the independent movement of the slide 33to disengage the feed-pawl from engagement with the feed-pinion alsodisengages the stop-pawl, whereby the carriage is free to be moved byhand in either direction.

The operation of the machine will be understood from the foregoing, andit will be seen that various changes in the form, proportion, and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a type-writingmachine, the'combination with a stationary frame, of a line-spacingframe mounted on the stationary frame and movable transversely to theline of writing, a pinion on the movable frame meshing with a rack onthe stationary frame, a pawl arranged in operative relation with thepinion, a releasing-lever connected to the said pawl, a reciprocatorycarriage mounted upon the line-spacing frame and carrying printingmechanism, feeding devices for the carriage, and means carried by thecarriage for actuating the said pawl at the limit of its return movementand advancing the line-spacing frame, substantially as specified.

2. The combinationwith a stationary frame, of a line-spacing framemovable transversely to the line of writing, line-spacing devicesincluding an actuating-pawl, a spring carrying said pawl, areciprocatory carriage mounted upon the line-spacing frame and carryingprinting mechanism, feeding devices for the carriage, and a projectionon the carriage for repressing said spring at the limit of its returnmovement to operate the pawl of the line-spacing devices and advance thelinespacing frame, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a stationary frame, of a line-spacing framemovable transversely to the line of writing, line-spacing devicesineluding an actuating-pawl, a spring carrying said pawl, areciprocatory carriage carrying printing mechanism and mounted upon theline-spacing frame, feeding devices for the carriage, a projection onthe carriage for repressing said spring at the limit of the returnmovement of the carriage, and means for automatically returning thecarriage to its initial position, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of a stationary frame, a line-spacing frame movabletransversely to the line of writing, line-spacing devices including anactuating-pawl, a stationary rack, and a pinion meshing with the teethof the rack and engaged by the pawl, a reciprocatory carriage carryingprinting mechanism, and mounted upon the line-spacing frame, feedingmechanism for the carriage, a spring for returning the carriage to itsinitial position, releasing devices for disengaging the feedingmechanism, and means carried by the carriage for actuating theline-spacing devices at the limit of its return movement,substantiallyas specified.

5. The combination with a stationary frame, of a movable frame,line-spacing devices, a carriage carrying printing mechanism, feedmechanism for the carriage including a pinion meshing with a rack and apawl arranged in operative relation with the pinion, means for returningthe carriage to its initial position, a releasing-slide arranged inoperative relation with said pawl, means for actuating said slide at theend of each return movement of the carriage to throw the pawl intoengagement with the pinion, a catch for normally holding said slideinoperative, devices for re; leasing the catch at the limit of theadvance movement of the carriage, and means on the carriage foroperating the line-spacing devices, substantially as specified.

6. The combination with a stationary frame, a movable frame,line-spacing devices, a carriage carrying printing mechanism, feedingmechanism for the carriage including a pinion meshing with a rack and apawl engaging the pinion, a slide arranged to engage said pawl, a springadapted to actuate the slide to disengage the pawl from the pinion, acatch for holding the said spring in its inoperative position, means fordisengaging said catch, a spring for actuating the carriage, and a stopfor repressing said slide and its actuating-spring and causing theautomatic engagement of the catch with the spring, substantially asspecified.

7. The combination with a carriage, of printing mechanism includingkey-levers, a spring-actuated spacing-lever arranged in operativerelation with said key-levers, feeding mechanism for the carriageincluding a pinion meshing with a rack and a slidable pawl engaging saidpinion and provided with a cam-slot in engagement with thespacing-lever, substantially as specified.

8. The combination with a carriage, of printing mechanism includingkey-levers, a spring-actuated spacing-lever arranged in operativerelation with said key-levers, feeding mechanism for the carriageincluding a pinion meshing with a rack and a slidable pawl engaging saidpinion and provided with a cam-slot in engagement with the spacing-learibbon reeled upon the spool and engaged ver, and aribbon-snpportingframe connected by said clip, and a holder engaging the spool to thesaid pawl, substantially as specified. to maintain the same at thedesired adjust- 9. The combination with a carriage, of Inent,substantially as specified. I 5 5 printing mechanism includingkey-levers, a In testimony that I claim the foregoing as spacing-leverarranged in operative relation my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein with the key-1evers,feeding mechanism forthe the presence of twoWitnesses.

carriage operatively connected to the spac- STEPHEN A. ELLIS. ing-lever,a ribbon-frame connected to the itnesses: 1o feeding mechanism andcarrying a ribbon- J. R. MOMURRY,

spool and a clip to engage the end of aribbon, J. A. ORUTCHER.

